The Most Welcoming Cities in the World

Netherlands-based travel agency TravelBird recently analyzed how the top 500 tourist destinations in the world, according to the World Tourism Organization, make travelers feel welcome. The group took into account the locals’ happiness levels, the friendliness encountered at airports, the openness to hosting tourists, and how proficient a country is in English, the third most spoken language in the world. Plus, it considered insights from 15,000 travel journalists and industry insiders from 110 countries as well as residents in the cities being studied. An "over-tourism barometer" measured factors such as how many available beds there were in a place, too. All of this was distilled down into the 100 most welcoming cities. Here, the top ten.

9. Zurich, Switzerland

One of the world’s most secure cities, Switzerland's financial capital welcomes cautious travelers in via one of the best airports in the world, which is home to nine lounges, including an arrival lounge with showers and a breakfast buffet.

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8. Oslo, Norway

It's well known that generally speaking, Scandinavian citizens equal happy citizens—but Norway’s cultured capital city just so happens to be home to some of the happiest. Hotels like The Thief, a city center gem with a significant art collection and a rooftop bar and restaurant, help travelers learn how to hygge.

6. Lisbon, Portugal

5. Rotterdam, Netherlands

This port city’s main train station, Rotterdam Centraal, doubles as an airy, social spot; you’ll find people hanging out even if they're not catching a train. And beyond the top-rated hotels, Kubuswoningen, the highly Instagrammable yellow cube houses, are also available to tourists via Airbnb.

3. Helsinki, Finland

According to TravelBird, industry insiders love Finland’s southern capital. Here, Helsinki’s many public saunas, including Kotiharju Sauna, the last wood-heated public option in the city, welcome travelers.

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2. Stockholm, Sweden

Fika—the Swedish tradition of relishing in the present over coffee and a snack—could be part of the reason the country’s residents are among the happiest on the planet (and why travelers feel at home, too).